OUR LEADERSHIP
Chris & Becky Valente - Senior Pastor
In 2010, founders Jim & Judy Laughrey appointed Chris Valente as Senior Pastor. Before coming to BTLC, Chris was a youth pastor at Oakland UMC and Emmanuel Baptist Church. Chris is passionate about helping people find hope and healing through a relationship with Jesus Christ, because that's what happened in his life. Pastor Chris & Becky have 4 boys - Ian, Nate, Landen, and Lincoln.
Doug Helsel, Pastoral Staff, J.Lynn Helsel, Finance.
Doug & J. Lynn Helsel are an important team at BTLC since the beginning. Doug is an Elder and part of the Pastoral staff. J. Lynn is the Church Treasurer and also helps with other administrative duties. Together they are great leaders and such a blessing to the Church in many ways. They lead the ministry of Cleansing Stream, which is one of our core "DNA Ministries" of BTLC. You can learn more about CSM on their website at https://www.cleansingstream.org
Gary and Rosie McClelland
Gary McClelland and his wife Rosie are an "instrumental" part of our music ministry. Gary is an Elder and has been at BTLC since the beginning. They held the first gathering of Bridge to Life Church at their home on Easter morning over 15 years ago with our founding Pastor Jim Laughrey. The McClelland's also help to lead the Life Groups and the Bethel Bible Series classes.
Nicholas Grumbling, Worship Leader
Nick is our Worship Leader who has been faithfully serving our church since 2018. Along with his guitar, he brings strong leadership and high energy to Church every week. Nick is now bringing his style and energy to both our 9 AM and 11 AM services. Kyrstin is a graduate of UPJ and a local school teacher.
David and Sharon Thomas, Pastoral Leadership
David is an elder of the church who has been with BTLC since the beginning. David and Sharon lead the cleansing discipleship team together. Dave also leads our deacon team. Together they serve as spiritual parents to everyone in our church by mentoring and helping out wherever they are needed.
Ian Valente, Youth Leader
Ian is our Youth Leader who works with Jr. & Sr. High students. He loves the Lord and loves people. He is passionate about helping students to navigate the often difficult season of living out faith as a teenager. Ian is a graduate of Westminster College where he played 4 years of College Football, and 1 year of College Basketball and he loves connecting with people through athletics, music, and God.
Alexis Berzonski, Children’s Ministry Director
Alexis grew up in a small church and always had a passion for children and children’s ministry. She had a calling from God to pursue this passion and is very excited to work with each and every child at Bridge to Life Church. Her husband serves on the technical team & together they have 3 children.
Tyler Roxby, Technical Director
Tyler oversees all technical aspects of our Church. He also serves on the worship team as the lead guitarist, along with his wife Elayna. Together they have three children- Sawyer, Magnolia, and Asher.
Amy Thomas, Children’s Ministry Director
Amy works with our nursery and elementary aged children. She also serves on our hospitality team. Amy hopes to hopes to help children with Jesus and His story. She resides with her husband Jonathan and her two children Dylan and Easton.